It is known to provide a funnel assembly on a tufting machine. Conventional funnel assemblies, however, suffer from one or more disadvantages. For example, conventional funnel assemblies include a plurality of injectors and one or more solenoid valves for each needle. As a result, conventional funnel assemblies are complex and expensive to manufacture, maintain and repair. Conventional funnel assemblies are also heavy and therefore require substantial amounts of energy to operate. In addition, conventional funnel assemblies include a manifold block (or exchanger block or bar) and a funnel block or bar that both move in a transverse direction relative to the backing of a tufted surface covering in order for the needle to penetrate the backing. This also results in the use of substantial amounts of energy during operation.
It would be desirable, therefore, if an apparatus and method for a funnel assembly could be provided that would not include a plurality of injectors and one or more solenoid valves for each needle. It would also be desirable if such apparatus and method was not complex and expensive to manufacture, maintain and repair. It would be further desirable if such apparatus and method was not heavy and did not include a manifold block (or exchanger block or bar) and a funnel block or bar that both move in a transverse direction relative to the backing of a tufted surface covering in order for the needle to penetrate the backing. It would be still further desirable if such apparatus and method would reduce the amount of energy used during operation.